Land-use choices follow profitability at the expense of ecological functions in Indonesian smallholder landscapes

Yann Clough (), Vijesh Krishna, Marife D. Corre, Kevin Darras, Lisa H. Denmead, Ana Meijide, Stefan Moser, Oliver Musshoff, Stefanie Steinebach, Edzo Veldkamp, Kara Allen, Andrew D. Barnes, Natalie Breidenbach, Ulrich Brose, Damayanti Buchori, Rolf Daniel, Reiner Finkeldey, Idham Harahap, Dietrich Hertel, A. Mareike Holtkamp, Elvira Hörandl, Bambang Irawan, I. Nengah Surati Jaya, Malte Jochum, Bernhard Klarner, Alexander Knohl, Martyna M. Kotowska, Valentyna Krashevska, Holger Kreft, Syahrul Kurniawan, Christoph Leuschner, Mark Maraun, Dian Nuraini Melati, Nicole Opfermann, César Pérez-Cruzado, Walesa Edho Prabowo, Katja Rembold, Akhmad Rizali, Ratna Rubiana, Dominik Schneider, Sri Sudarmiyati Tjitrosoedirdjo, Aiyen Tjoa, Teja Tscharntke and Stefan Scheu
Additional contact information
Yann Clough: Centre for Environmental and Climate Research, Lund University
Marife D. Corre: Soil Science of Tropical and Subtropical Ecosystems, Büsgen Institute, Georg August University Göttingen
Kevin Darras: Agroecology, Georg August University Göttingen
Lisa H. Denmead: Agroecology, Georg August University Göttingen
Ana Meijide: Bioclimatology, Georg August University Göttingen
Stefan Moser: Georg August University Göttingen
Stefanie Steinebach: Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology, Georg August University Göttingen
Edzo Veldkamp: Soil Science of Tropical and Subtropical Ecosystems, Büsgen Institute, Georg August University Göttingen
Kara Allen: Soil Science of Tropical and Subtropical Ecosystems, Büsgen Institute, Georg August University Göttingen
Andrew D. Barnes: Systemic Conservation Biology, Georg August University Göttingen
Natalie Breidenbach: Forest Genetics and Forest Tree Breeding, Büsgen Institute, Georg August University Göttingen
Ulrich Brose: Systemic Conservation Biology, Georg August University Göttingen
Damayanti Buchori: Faculty of Agriculture, Bogor Agricultural University Jalan Kamper Kampus IPB Darmaga
Rolf Daniel: Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg August University Göttingen
Reiner Finkeldey: Forest Genetics and Forest Tree Breeding, Büsgen Institute, Georg August University Göttingen
Idham Harahap: Faculty of Agriculture, Bogor Agricultural University Jalan Kamper Kampus IPB Darmaga
Dietrich Hertel: Georg August University Göttingen
A. Mareike Holtkamp: Georg August University Göttingen
Elvira Hörandl: Biodiversity and Evolution of Plants, Georg August University Göttingen
Bambang Irawan: Forestry Faculty, University of Jambi, Campus Pinang Masak Mendalo
I. Nengah Surati Jaya: Forest Resources Inventory and Remote Sensing, Bogor Agricultural University, Kampus IPB Darmaga
Malte Jochum: Systemic Conservation Biology, Georg August University Göttingen
Bernhard Klarner: JF Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, Animal Ecology, Georg August University Göttingen
Alexander Knohl: Bioclimatology, Georg August University Göttingen
Martyna M. Kotowska: Georg August University Göttingen
Valentyna Krashevska: JF Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, Animal Ecology, Georg August University Göttingen
Holger Kreft: Biodiversity, Macroecology & Conservation Biogeography, Georg August University Göttingen
Syahrul Kurniawan: Soil Science of Tropical and Subtropical Ecosystems, Büsgen Institute, Georg August University Göttingen
Christoph Leuschner: Georg August University Göttingen
Mark Maraun: JF Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, Animal Ecology, Georg August University Göttingen
Dian Nuraini Melati: Forest Inventory and Remote Sensing, Burckhardt Institute, Georg August University Göttingen
Nicole Opfermann: Biodiversity and Evolution of Plants, Georg August University Göttingen
César Pérez-Cruzado: Forest Inventory and Remote Sensing, Burckhardt Institute, Georg August University Göttingen
Walesa Edho Prabowo: Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern
Katja Rembold: Forest Inventory and Remote Sensing, Burckhardt Institute, Georg August University Göttingen
Akhmad Rizali: Faculty of Agriculture, University of Brawijaya
Ratna Rubiana: Faculty of Agriculture, Bogor Agricultural University Jalan Kamper Kampus IPB Darmaga
Dominik Schneider: Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Georg August University Göttingen
Sri Sudarmiyati Tjitrosoedirdjo: SEAMEO BIOTROP Regional Center for Tropical Biology
Aiyen Tjoa: Faculty of Agriculture, Tadulako University
Teja Tscharntke: Agroecology, Georg August University Göttingen
Stefan Scheu: JF Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, Animal Ecology, Georg August University Göttingen

Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract Smallholder-dominated agricultural mosaic landscapes are highlighted as model production systems that deliver both economic and ecological goods in tropical agricultural landscapes, but trade-offs underlying current land-use dynamics are poorly known. Here, using the most comprehensive quantification of land-use change and associated bundles of ecosystem functions, services and economic benefits to date, we show that Indonesian smallholders predominantly choose farm portfolios with high economic productivity but low ecological value. The more profitable oil palm and rubber monocultures replace forests and agroforests critical for maintaining above- and below-ground ecological functions and the diversity of most taxa. Between the monocultures, the higher economic performance of oil palm over rubber comes with the reliance on fertilizer inputs and with increased nutrient leaching losses. Strategies to achieve an ecological-economic balance and a sustainable management of tropical smallholder landscapes must be prioritized to avoid further environmental degradation.

Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms13137

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